Excavating bucket



March 18, 1941. F. J. LITTER EXCAVATING BUCKET Filed Feb. 28, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Fcrduzarzd J. A/z'zer ATTOR: EYS

March 18, 1941. F. J. LITTER 2,235,159

EXCAVATING BUCKET Filed Feb. 28, 1938 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Ferdinand JTZ/ZZer March 18, 1941. F. J. LITTER EXCAVATING BUCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 28, 1938 lNVENTOR Frdznand J! (2762' W BY @4% ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in excavating buckets.

Its object is generally to provide a two-section excavator with the bucket sections back-toback or in reverse relation to that usual in socalled clam-shell buckets.

More specifically, its object is to provide an excavating bucket for use in caissons which is capable of removing a larger percentage of the material from the base of the caisson, and which is even capable of digging under the lower outwardly flaring end of a caisson having such an end.

Other objects will appear in the following specification in which an embodiment of the invention will be described and its novel features set forth in claims.

Referring to'the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of an apparatus which is made according to and embodies the present invention. A portion of a caisson and the surrounding material are shown in section;

Fig 2 is a similar view illustrating the parts in three of their relative positions;

. Fig. 3 is anelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken at right angles to that shown in the latter figure;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sections of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the sections being taken On the lines 4--4, 5-5, 6-6 and 'I--1 on Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 16 designates a rigid frame built up of four angle irons I l secured to a transverse spacer l2 at their lower ends, to intermediate transverse spacers l3, l4, to separate spacers l5, I5, and near their upper ends to separate spacers l6, 16. Between the spacers I2 and I3 and the angle irons H on one side of them, is a plate I 2A. Between the angle irons H and the upper spacers iii are plates l1, l1.

' These plates are fastened to the angle irons and have suflicient depth to add considerable stiflfness to the frame. 18 is a shackle pivoted to the plates H, to which a hoisting cable may be attached. l9 are cross plates aflixed to the angle irons ll near their upper ends.

20 is a shaft running between two of the angle irons of the frame. Surrounding it is a sleeve 2|, on the ends of which are links 22, 23 connected bya transverse plate 24. At the lower end of plate 24 is another sleeve 26 which surrounds a shaft 25 which runs through flat sheets 21 and 28 at the ends of sleeve 26 near the corners of the sheets. Sheets 21, 28 are connected by a back plate 29.

39, 35 are similar shafts on the other side of the frame, supporting plates 31, 38 which are connected by a back plate 39. Sleeves 3|, 36 and links 32, 33 with interposed sheet 34 are similar to the parts designated by 2|, 26, 22, 23 and 24, respectively. Links 22, 23 with the transverse plate 24 form a support for one of the buckets and also a closure member for one of its sides. Similarly, the structure formed by links 32, 33 and plate 34 form a support and closure for the other bucket.

Sleeves 4| and 5| extend between sheets 21,

28 and 31, 38. respectively, near the center of their outer edges. Shafts 49 and 59 run through these sleeves and through links 42, 43; 52, 53 outside of sheets21, 28 and 31, 38 near the lower ends of these links. The upper ends of links 42,

52 are pivotally connected to an end of a transverse shaft 44 which extends transversely between the spaced angle irons II, II of frame I 0, and the upper ends of links 43, 53 are similarly connected to the other end of shaft 44. 45 is a stirrup which supports the shaft 44 and which runs between opposite angle irons of the frame and between the spacers l4 and l5, l5.

A sheave 46 is rotatably mounted in the stirrup 45. 41 is a rope or cable connected to the upper central part of the stirrup. This runs up to and 4 over a sheave 48 mounted in the frame Ill between its plates l1, I1, then down to and under the sheave 46 and up through the top of the frame where it is guided by a pulley 49.

Afiixed to links 22, 23, 32, 33 near their lower ends are reinforcing Ts 54, 55 which abut and engage the lower ends of angle irons II when the parts are in the Fig. l-Fig. 5 positions. Above them are fillets 56, 51 fastened to these links which abut the inner webs of angle irons II when the parts are in the same positions, (see Fig. 6). 58 and 59 are transverse plates aflixed to the back plates 29 and 39 and extending to the sleeves 25 and 35.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a caisson 60 having outwardly flaring lower edges 6| is shown in section. The surrounding material is designated by 62.

In Figs. 1 and 3 the parts of the apparatus are shown in the relative positions they assume when the shaft 44 is in its lowermost position in the frame. With the parts in these positions the apparatus is dropped into the material 62 at the lower end of the caisson, as shown in Figs.

1 and 3. Then shaft 44 is raised by cable 41 to the position in which it is shown at 44A in Fig. 2. This will rotate the back plates 29, 39 about the shafts 26, 36 to the positions in which they are shown in dotted lines atZSA, 39A in Fig. 2, moving their lower edges through the material 82. The upward pull on cable 41 which produces this efiect does not lift the frame ll! because it has a downward pull on the sheave 43. The block and fall arrangement causes a reduced motion of the stirrup 45 in; relation to that of the free end of cable 41 which results in crowding links 22, 32 against the lower end of the frame Ill during this rotation.

Further upward movement, of shaft 44 will move the buckets outwardly. When this shaft reaches the position in which it is shown at 443 in Fig. 2, the parts will assume the positions in which they are shown in full lines in Fig. 2, with the outer edges of plates 29, as under and beyond the inner vertical walls of the caisson. It will be seen that the plates 24, 58 and 34, 59 then form the backs of the buckets. The upward movement of shaft 44 in the frame is limited by its engaging the spacers l5.

Now the apparatus may be raised out of the caisson. By keeping a tension on cable 41, the outer edges of the back plates 29, 39 will be kept in contact with the walls of the caisson during the hoisting operation. The first effect of the hoisting operation will be to push the buckets inwardly to a certain extent, causing the outer edges of plates 29, 39 to scrape on the inner surfaces of the flaring edges SI of the caisson.

After the device is hoisted out of the caisson and swung transversely away from it, the contents of its buckets may be dumped, b1" releasing the tension on the cable 41.

Structural modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A frame, a pair of buckets supported thereby in back-to-back relation, each of said buckets comprising side plates and a connecting back plate, pivotal supporting means for each of,.the buckets near similar corners of each of its"side plates and their adjacent back plate, and means movable-in relation to said supportingTneans for simultaneously imparting a partial rotation to the buckets.

2. A frame, a pair of buckets supported thereby in back-to-back relation, each of said buckets comprising sides plates and a connecting back plate, pivotal supporting means for each of the buckets near similar corners of each of its side plates and their adjacent back plate and to the frame can axis spaced above said corners, and means movable in relation to said axes for simultaneously imparting a partial rotation to the buckets and thereafter swinging the supporting means about said axes.

3. A frame, a' pair of buckets supported thereby in back-to-back relation, each of said buckets comprising side plates and a connecting back plate, closure members for each of the buckets, each of said closure members being pivoted to one of the buckets near similar corners of each of its side plates and its adjacent back plate and to the frame on an axis spaced above said corners, and means movable in, relation to said axes for simultaneously imparting a partial rotation to the buckets and thereafter swinging the closure members about said axes.

4. A frame, a pair of buckets supported thereby in back-to-back relation. each of said buckets comprising side plates and a connecting back plate, closure members for each of the buckets, each of said closure members being pivoted to one of the buckets near similar corners of each of its side plates adjacentits back plate and to the frame on an axis spaced above said corners, a shaft vertically movable in the frame and links from opposite ends of the shaft to the side plates of the buckets and pivoted thereto at points spaced outwardly from the corners thereof which are pivoted to the closure member.

5. A frame, a pair of buckets supported there by in back-to-back relation, each of said buckets comprising side plates and a connecting back plate, closure members for each of the buckets, each of said closure members being pivoted to one of the buckets near similar corners of each of its side plates adjacent its back plate and to the frame on an axis spaced above said corners and above the lower end of the frame, a stirrup vertically movable in the frame, links interconnecting the stirrup with points on the side frames spaced outwardly from the corners thereof which are pivoted to the closure member, a sheave on the stirrup, a sheave in the upper part of the frame, and a flexible cable affixed to the stirrup and passing around said sheaves for moving the stirrup in the frame.

FERDINAND J. LITTER. 

